Test drive Volkswagen Passat B5 2000 - 2005 sedan

How much is the image

In this duet, one still remains an unconditional leader, and the other has to convince customers that he is at least no worse.

Jump above your head
In its intensity, the struggle in the Russian market of medium -sized cars will not be lost, perhaps, races for survival. For the favor of buyers, more than 20 marks of Japanese, German, French, Swedish, English, American, Korean, racing, offering more and more cars for more and less money.
 
It is all the more amazing that as soon as any of our compatriot, an overgrown with a golf-class car, will want the car more compassionate and more inviting, his choice can be predicted with a high degree of probability. This is a Volkswagen passage. The results of sales of the nearest competitor this car is more than twice up to speak for themselves.
 
That is why we decided to bring in a full-time match a beginner of this class, Opel-Vetr, namely with the Passat. If last year's Parisian debutant withstands a comparison with the standard, it means that success in our market is guaranteed. What is needed for this? Theoretically, everything is clear: any contender for a leading position should be more spacious, comfortable, look more expensive and representative than the Passat, and is cheaper. And how is it in practice?
 
Which of you is folk?
There is nothing to boast of Vectra on the part of the image of Vectra. Yes, of course, the cars of the previous two generations dispersed the world more than 4.5 million circulation. In a well-fed pragmatic-disassemble Europe, Passat and Vectra competed a couple of years ago on an equal footing. Nevertheless, the difference in the price between them was 45%. So, there Opel was considered the cheapest of the middle Germans. We have a scatter in prices and completely reaches 10%. Why? Yes, because in Russia the Passat is primarily an image and fashion. Not a Mercedes, BMW or Audi, of course, but very close to them: aristocratic-solid appearance, strict rich interior, a large selection of engines and additional equipment. And at the same time a much more democratic price.
 
   
Both the vetera and the passat inside are quite spacious
 
   
However, for example, in the width of the salon, this Opel became a record holder
in class
 

Vectra in Russia, although it is very popular with lovers of used foreign cars, is perceived relatively cheap and much more folk than Volkswagen, a workhorse. So it will take more than one year to the word vector in the Russian market to sound as proudly as the Passat. In a word, while Troychka, no more.
 
More big
At first glance, everything is with her. With all its appearance, Vectra is trying to show that it is larger and more solid Passat. In Volkswagen, it seems, the eyes now seem small, and the jacket could be more saturated, and there will clearly be a native of Roussheim in the shoulders.
  
That's just the more you look at the vector, the more intrusive the idea that its appearance is vividly reminiscent of something American-Japanese. The headlights a la Honda-Preleud, feed is similar to other models of Chrysler. What about the true company, your own? Unless, having taken a closer look, you begin to find features in the car like a grown -up astra ...
 
We tried to endow the car emphasized by a dynamic profile, said the chief designer of the Hans Sir model. Well, you definitely cannot refuse the dynamics of the appearance of Vectra. And I like any subjective, I don’t like it, it looks like it is not a look at 0.28 aerodynamic resistance coefficient. In a word, all of itself streamlined, solid, and even such a fashionable-sore, not the highest score, of course, but quite modern and high quality.
  
Passat? Six years in the market should seem to take their own. However, even in Europe, there is a strong second place in sales after BMW precisely with the Passat. And the fierce-strict-strict design of our Teutonic fighter is copying both other Skodes and completely non-native phaetons.

I like him so far, and that’s it. And others let others go out.
 
There was not enough patience
It is not clear to you yet how Vectra is going to fight a compatriot? Perhaps the situation will be clear if we look into the salon? Skin, divided climate control, electric drives of seats and mirrors, curtains, large liquid-crystalline monitor, soft armrests for the services of all passengers, stereo with nine speakers, the central console, breathing solidity of the omega ... folk predecessor such luxury, monumentality and spaciousness Could only dream.
 
   
Both tidies are quite informative. However, on the Passat (above) the scales are decorated with stylish halo
 

And yet not everything liked it. Why? In an effort to catch up and overtake the creators stuffed the car with many fashionable, comfortable and useful things, but sometimes missed annoying flaws. It can be seen that there was not enough patience to, for example, to rigidly fix the cover of the automatic transmission lever, dangling in its nest. And when pressing the button for turning on the parking lights, there is a feeling that the spring under it is hardly inferior to the one in the shutter of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. And, perhaps, it was not worth making a windows control unit, mirrors, a central lock and a lid of the trunk with such an unusual algorithm, as well as, however, this is already nit -picking. But in combination, as they say, these annoying trifles, alas, only four by the interior. It seems that it turned out to look expensive, but the Passat owns this art a little better.
 
In his salon, as if nothing special. Velur, a simple four -spoke steering wheel, plastic, ingenuous tidy. However, what is the performance! Not a shadow of doubt that you are in a fairly expensive, strict car. Strength, functionality, maximum convenience in communicating with any governing body, this is what the Passat loves for. If you press on some button, then you know in advance what will happen now, without any, I will notice, reading tedious instructions. Even the driver of heroic proportions will be able to get a comfortable way. And so in everything. For me, the only drawback of the absence of the slightest hint of home comfort of ergonomics and practicality. Passata would be a light spark of mood, and there would be full -fledged five points.
 
Quiet with a cat's gait
The same pragmatic approach to the Passat and in behavior on the road. It is quite difficult to break through his suspension even on serious irregularities. It is harsh, but well protects the body from strong blows. Volkswagen is assembled as much as possible. Only a little more audible than in the vector, the sound of its motor is heard. A little louder attacks the crushed stone wheeled arches and bottom. A slightly wider how to get the wind at speeds for 150 km/h.
 
   
The steering wheel is more functional. But on the Passat it is better selected by its cross -section
 

Vectra is just quiet. Moreover, the hard five for comfort is not only because of better sound insulation. We had a lot of time to make a car better than Mondeo, I remember, said Rainer Traitz, the manager of the European branch responsible for the Vectra model. The energy intensity of the Ford suspension is rightfully considered one of the best in the classroom. And in my opinion, the vector swallows the flaws of the road not at all worse. If you get at a speed of 160 kilometers to meet a section of gentle waves on the asphalt, although the car will suit passengers for a second or two weightlessness, but will not allow the wheels to lose clutch with the road. They will release them far and as if licking the surface of the track.
 
What is he carrying us, a new turn?
At first, the behavior of the Passat in the bends seems perfect. You know for sure that no matter how quickly they shifted from side to side the steering wheel at the most winding mountain serpentine, it will not bit it for a thousandth of a fraction of a second. There is no clear feedback, but there is a predicted one, it is when you expect, the start of slipping in the turns, small rolls, the opportunity not to discard speed where other cars flashed helplessly. Ideal, standard, which was required to prove.
  
So, however, you think until the moment until you get behind the wheel of vetera. The combination of McEferson in front and the posterior four-leaf suspension, in my opinion, is very fruitful symbiosis. Where is Volkswagen with his back beam! Opel seems to be the same as the Passat, it strives very correctly, first with the nose, and then the stern, slip out the turn. But as soon as this happened, the most interesting begins. The ESP system, capable of (for the first time, by the way, in middle -class machines) to distribute its electronic spells to three wheels at once, runs a car, which has just been helplessly flying out of turn along an unexpectedly steep trajectory.

Moreover, I must say, you still need to get used to this behavior of the car. Indeed, in the dry language of specialists, this means that insufficient rotation instantly turns into neutral. And without special skills, if they exceeded the speed in the bend, any other car is likely to wrap with a wolf. Any other is just not vector! Clearly tuned work of the same smart electronics allows the machine to maintain the right direction and simply not fly to the ditch. Try to push such a warrior from the track.
  
And it would be a chapel of a round excellent student, if not for the instant fright that the most experienced driver will experience at the time of ESP intervention. Too sharply. Five with a minus.
 
Both guys are brave, both are good
One and a half hundred horses and vector, and the passato is actually enough. True, it is worth stomping over the gas pedal, and the Volkswagen motor, which is only 3 hp. More powerful, much more fun touches and accelerates. It perfectly picks up even with 120130 km/h and confidently holds on a straight line if the speedometer arrow exceeded two hundred.
 
 
Passat electric power seat is much more expensive than vetera
  
 
High -frequency speakers are in upholstery even the rear doors

 
 
The glove box can be part-time mini-cold

 
 
The appointment of any of the buttons is not raising questions here

 
Large numbers on the monitor are easily read even from the rear seat
 
 
 
Turning on parking lights due to a tight spring is not convenient
  
 
At the same time open the front and rear windows will not work
 

Vectra cannot boast with such agility. When, regardless of the instantly increased fuel consumption, the Passat is already throwing a tachometer sword with the red zone and is more confidently tearing forward, the atmospheric ecotek Opel also does not even think of reaching maximum speeds. A kind of imposing American who suddenly decided and on hell with him, in fact, these races? Buying smoothness even with intensive acceleration is please. And if you are a Schumacher in your soul, buy a modification of vector-GTS. There, the engine is more powerful, and the machine is not so clearly configured for a leisurely riding with fuel economy.
 
Here is a manual switching mode here, rather, a toy for a driver who suddenly missed the mechanics. It would seem that it should come in handy when braking. No matter how! What, where, why? I admit, it seemed to me that it was precisely such an algorithm of work that the creators in automatic transmission during braking laid. While you will wait for inclusion on the step below, painful in this situation for a second one and a half will pass. Whether the point is the Passat! His tiptronics will instantly understand what is required of it, and now the engine famously helps the brake system to stop the car in the right place.
 
And what, do you think the complete victory of Volkswagen? Do not hurry. For emergency braking, Opel, it seems, is not needed. At least his braking distance with 100 km/h turned out to be five meters shorter. And God forbid there is an accident, six airbags will take care of the driver and passengers, and not two, like the basic passat. Smart seats with active head restraints, which significantly reduce the risk of injury to the cervical vertebrae significantly reduce the risk of injury to the cervical vertebrae!
 
The decisive argument?
The most affordable Passat-1,8T, alas, cannot boast of the generosity of the equipment: steering wheel, ABS, frontal airbags, electric windows of only front doors and heated mirrors. Such an option menu has a car for 22,000 euros with a 150-horsepower engine and mechanics. It is clear that the potential owner of the Passat wants to see the car at least with air conditioning (1243 euros), the simplest radio (branded beta 634 euros) and security alarms (250 euros). In general, it should be noted that in Wolfsburg it is not averse to earn money even on equipping the car with such life joys in the cabin as head restraints in the rear seats, branded woven rugs or adjusting front seats in height. So, for example, a 150-horsepower passat with a tiptron, climate control, stereosystem Blaupunct, cast discs and velor salon will cost 26,520 euros.
 
   
The luggage compartment of the vector (left) is not only a little larger, but also more functional
 

The price of Opel-Vetra-2,2 starts at 22,300 euros. For this amount you get a car with a light alloy, fog lights, air conditioning, a stereo system with nine speakers. If you add all this to the cost of the passat, do not forget the rear electric windows, ESP and EVD systems and side airbags, it turns out that Vectra is cheaper than Volkswagen for 4958 euros! Impressive?
 
Yes, of course, the vector with an automatic machine, which we received for testing at the representative of General Motors, costs almost 31,000. As if, quite expensive. But do not rush to sign the Opel verdict. Indeed, in such a car there is literally everything: from a leather salon, an electric drive of seats with memory, separated by climate, cruise control, to rain sensors, parking, on side and rear windows, etc., so on, so on. If you could order such a passat (some options simply do not exist), then it would cost at least 35 thousand.
    
We decided:
The new vector is a general assessment **** more than ever avant -garde, spacious, comfortable, friendly, safe and will turn out to be a much more profitable purchase. Although, I must admit, it cannot boast of that balance, attention to every little thing and a high image, like her compatriot from Wolfsburg. Nevertheless, Opel seems to have a good chance to return previously lost positions in the market. In addition, if you buy a Volkswagen tomorrow, in a couple of years you will be driving a previous generation of cars. This does not threaten the buyer of the new vector for another six to seven years.
 
Passat **** is not at all outdated for today, albeit older than the new vector for six years. He is still a worthy choice of a person who needs almost a Mercedes, only cheaper.
 
So, a fighting draw was obtained. In technical terms, the cars are almost one slightly better there, the other is somewhat preferable here. So, in fact, the struggle between the newcomer and the recognized leader came to the conflict of image. But if buyers in Russia consider saving in five thousand euros an equal replacement of the Volkswagen aura, Vectra will be able to grab a noticeable piece of our market.
 
Alexey Sergeev, photo of Maxim Goncharov
 
 

Source: Magazine "Limousine" [10/02]